Final Fantasy X: Lulu
by Super-Slayer13
Summary: The story of how Lulu went from a young girl into the steely mage we all know her for...


Disclaimer: Hey everyone… Okay, listen up: I don't own Final Fantasy X or any of its related characters, places, name, etc. Any similarities to anyone living or dead (gulp!) is completely coincidental… but kinda cool!! ENJOY~

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Lulu is laughing. Laughing like a child. She is laughing like that because she is indeed a child. Five years old to be exact. It is the happiest time of her life, which hasn't been too long, but it _is_ the happiest time. However, that is all about to change. Her life is going to take a turn for the worse. She is going to know what loneliness is, she is going to feel fear, experience death and know what true loss is like. But she doesn't know what any of that is right now, she only knows happiness, security and most of all… love. 

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_FINAL FANTASY X: _

**Lulu** Chapter One: Happiness Before Sin 

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          Lulu is laughing. Her mother spun around in a beautiful purple satin dress. The shiny material flowed and dipped, swished and cut through the air. She was mesmerized by the vision of violet that was her mother's evening dress. 

          "Mommy, you look pretty!" her little voice squeaked out softly.

          "Oh, why thank you honey," her mother said. "You look very pretty, too. I always loved you in pigtails as a baby." Her mother walked over and smoothed down some of the hair that had come out from Lulu's two pigtails. Lulu had done her own hair today, and it showed. "My little Lulu." 

          "Will you braid my hair, Mommy?"

          "Sure thing, honey. Scoot over."

          Lulu quickly scampered over to the edge of the bed so her mother could sit down. Her mother undid the two pigtails and began braiding Lulu's hair into two braids. 

"Mommy, do you think someday you can teach me how to braid my own hair?" Lulu asked as her mother intertwined the strands of hair into a braid.

"Oh, of course. It's easy," her mother leaned forward and kissed her on the head. "You'll learn fast."

Her mother continued to smooth out and braid Lulu's jet black hair. 

"I want to go to the party, Mommy." 

          "Now, now Lulu. Let's not get into that again." Her mother tied one of the braids with a ribbon and then began working on the other one. "I explained to you that children are not allowed at the banquet. This is just a little celebration for Maester Jyschal's conversion of the Guado. That's all." 

          "But I never get to go anywhere fun!" Lulu huffed as she crossed her arms across her chest in desperation. 

          Her mother finished tying up Lulu's braid, "That's not true. You're going to have lots of fun with Wakka and Chappu tonight." 

          Lulu scrunched her little face into a ball. "Yuck, I don't wanna go over there. All they ever wanna play is blitzball!"

          "Well, honey, they like blitzball." Her mother picked up the little stuffed moogle that was sitting next to Lulu on the bed. She gave the doll to Lulu, "Just like you like your dolls, they like blitzball." She kissed Lulu on the forehead. "Besides, their father is captain of the Aurochs. They just want to make him proud." 

          "I guess…" Lulu grumbled. 

"Why don't you try playing with them?"

"I do! But…" Her shoulders sagged down. "I'm not very good."

"Well, I bet you just need some practice." Her mother winked one of her auburn eyes at her. "That's all, just practice." 

Lulu smiled a little, feeling only a little better at her ineptness at blitzball. "Okay," she said through a tiny frown.

Her mother winked at her and stood up from the edge of the bed, returning to the dresser. She opened a small mythril jewelry box and pulled out a dazzling necklace. It was a gorgeous necklace made of golden beads and amethyst disks. It was her mother's favorite piece of jewelry and she wore it every chance she got. 

Lulu eyed the chain and her already bright eyes lit up even more. "Oh, Mommy, you're going to wear the pretty purple necklace?" she asked excitedly.

"Yes, dear. It is my favorite, you know," she said as she clasped the necklace around her slender neck.

"Ooh, mine too!" Lulu smiled widely. "And, and you know what, Mommy?"

Her mother turned to face her, "What, hun?"

"Tomorrow I am gonna start practicing!"

"Practice what?" a deep voice said from the hallway. 

Lulu turned to see her father enter the room. He adjusted his coat as he sat down next to Lulu. The soft mattress jumped up from under her as his weight pushed down into it. "What are you going to practice, darling? Your magic?"

"No, my blitzballing!" Lulu said with a giggle.

"Your 'blitzballing', eh?" he said with a smile as he picked her up and sat her on his lap. "You looking to make the team?" He tickled her on the sides. 

Lulu wriggled in his grasp, "Heehee!! No, just… Haha!! Just to be better at it!!"

"Oh…" He kissed her on the cheek and then set her down on the bed again. "And here I thought we had a future blitzer in the family."

"Oh, don't be silly, Daddy! You know I am gonna be the bestest black mage Besaid has ever seen!" Lulu proclaimed as she stood triumphantly on the bed, her tiny hands on her hips, the little moogle still clutched in her arm.

Her parents laughed and applauded. Lulu giggled some more. 

"Well, then, Ms. 'Bestest' Black Mage; here is something…" her mother reached up behind her neck and unclasped the necklace, "for you." She held her hands forward so Lulu could see.

"Oh, it's your pretty necklace!!" Lulu exclaimed as she peered down at her mother's hands.

Her mother smiled as she placed it around her neck, "Let's see how this looks on you…"

It was so long that on the small girl it hung all way down to her tiny belly.

Lulu's father scratched his chin, "It's a little much, isn't it?"

Lulu's mother turned and waved away the comment, "Oh, hush. A woman can never have too much jewelry." She waved her arm full of bangles as if to confirm it.  

"Oh, Mommy, really?" Lulu looked down and touched the shiny jewels. "Is it really for me?"

"Yes, dear, it's really for you." 

Lulu threw herself around her mother's neck. "Thank you, Mommy! Thank you!"

"Oh, Lulu, you're welcome. You always told me you thought it was pretty, now it's yours."

"I will take extra care of it. Even better care than Mog!" Lulu said as she held up her toy moogle for her mother to see.

"Hey! I gave that to you for your birthday," her father said with a mock frown. 

Lulu quickly pulled him into her grasp too. "I know, Daddy! Don't worry, I will still take care of him, too!" 

Her father laughed a little, "Okay, okay…"

They all laughed a little longer and then her parents went back to getting ready for the banquet. Lulu sat on her parents' bed and watched her mother slip on more bracelets and rings. 

Her father went through his closet looking for a belt and pulled two out. One was dark gray with shiny little metal fastenings all around the edging. The other belt was smooth black with inlaid brown hide and two large buckles on the end. He held both up for Lulu to see and then asked, "Which one do you like better, Lu?"

Lulu titled her little head then crossed her arms. "Um..." She eyed them both over carefully. "The gray one is nice... But, I like the brown and black one!" she proclaimed as she pointed a tiny finger at it.

Her father smiled and walked over to where she was sitting on the bed. "Stand over here for a second," he said as he grabbed her under her arms and lifted her off the bed. 

He set her right in front of the full length mirror that was leaning against the wall and then proceeded to wrap the brown belt around her miniature waist. He had to end up tying it in a rough knot because it kept falling down, even on the tightest notch. 

"There you go!" he declared as he finally got it stay around her waist.    

"Ooh, another present for me?" Lulu said, her voice raising with delight.

"Yes, ma'am! Another present for you!" her father said with some mild pride. He then leaned in closer and whispered, "Can't have your mother being the favorite, now can we?"

Lulu covered her mouth quickly as she began to giggle.  

Her mother, who was busying herself with more bangles, watched Lulu from the corner of her eye. "A belt?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

Her father raised his head and replied, "Yes. A belt." A devious smile crossed his mouth.

"Hmm..." her mother said as she turned away. "It seems my gift is still… better." A smile crossed her ruby lips.

          Lulu giggled as her father stood up and stomped over to where her mother was standing. 

          "Now, you listen here!" he jokingly yelled as he swung a pointed finger in her face.

Lulu's smile faded a little.

"What? Listen to what, huh?" her mother huffed with a smirk as she propped her hands on her hips.  

"I like them BOTH!" Lulu yelled before her father could say anything back.

Both her parents whipped their heads around in her direction. Lulu bit her bottom lip in embarrassment. She rarely ever yelled, even for a child.

"No more fighting," she murmured. "Please."

Her mother quickly knelt down and pulled Lulu into her arms, "Aw, no, Lulu. I'm sorry. We weren't really fighting."

Her father patted Lulu's back. "We were just playing. I'm sorry, baby."

          "I... I don't like it." Lulu said, her lower lip trembling.

          Her mother pulled her away so she could look into her eyes, "No more, Lulu. No more."

          "But... why play fight?" she asked, hugging Mog even tighter.

          Her father chuckled a little. "You see, honey, we still love each other. It's just that sometimes... you're mother likes to give me a hard time." 

          Her mother smiled fondly at him, "Yes, he likes it when I'm feisty." She nudged him lightly in the ribs.

          Her father's cheeks went bright red as he flashed a mischievous smile at his wife. 

"Huh?" Lulu asked innocently.

Her father's cheeks went even brighter when he remembered Lulu was still there. He cleared his throat. "Ahem-- Anyways... when you're older, MUCH older," he stressed, "You'll see that sometimes a little bickering now and then can actually mean that someone likes you."

"But… but, that makes no sense…" Lulu said softly as she placed her dimpled fists on her hips. 

Her parents laughed lightly to themselves, and then her mother kissed Lulu on the forehead and said, "You'll get it someday…"

          And with that her parents returned to getting ready for the second time that night. While her mother was busy braiding her own dark hair, Lulu snuck in and watched her father practice his speech in the living room.

"Dearest Maesters of Yevon, it is my great honor to be here with you all tonight. It is a rare and special event to welcome so many new brothers and sisters into the light that is Yevon." her father began, "We can only hope this is the beginning of a new era of peace between all people of Spira…" he continued.                               

Lulu watched her father lovingly from behind a plush chair, careful not to be seen so she wouldn't disturb him. However, he saw her anyway. Even though she was completely hidden behind the large seat, Mog was not. The little toy moogle's purple wings were sticking out next to the leg.

"Through the light that is Yevon, I..." he glanced over towards the large chair and the exposed purple moogle wings. "I spy a little moogle who is hiding..." he crept up in front of the chair and then popped out quickly, "behind this chair!" 

Lulu fell back into a long laugh, "Aah, Mog, you gave us away!!"

Lulu's father smiled and picked her up from the floor. He hugged her and then sat her down in the chair. "Looks like you two need to learn an invisibility spell," he joked. 

Lulu smiled and looked up at her father, "Daddy, how did you get to be a mage's head?" 

"Mage's head?" he chuckled a little. "I think you mean Headmage."

"Oh, yeah." She smiled sheepishly. "Headmage." 

"Well, Lulu... I guess through a lot of hard work and dedication," he said softly. 

She titled her head to one side, her braids falling over her shoulders. "What's dedi-- dedication?" she stumbled.

"Dedication is when, well... it's like when you promise yourself to do something and stick with it until the end."

Her eyes opened wide after hearing this, "Ooh! I get it!" She then threw herself forward and flung her arms around her father's broad shoulders. "I dedication myself to love you forever, Daddy!"

He just laughed and hugged her tightly. "I love you, Lulu."

She looked up and kissed him on his warm cheek, "I love you too, Daddy."

He sat her down on his lap and then took Mog from her arms. "You wanna see something really magical?" he asked, his eyes gleaming. 

"Ooh, yes!" she exclaimed, wrapping her hands tightly together. 

"Alright then…" he said as he sat Mog down on the floor in front of the chair. "Watch closely."

Her father closed his eyes for a moment and then whispered something that Lulu couldn't hear over her own excited breathing. Suddenly, one of Mog's little arms started to move. It moved up and down as one of his legs began to stir slightly.

"Oh my Yevon, he's moving…" Lulu whispered, more to herself than her father.

Mog continued to move slightly until, in what seemed like a burst of energy, he suddenly jumped up onto his tiny stuffed feet. He turned around to face Lulu who was speechless in awe. He raised a little paw at Lulu, as if he was telling her to take it. Lulu hesitantly stuck her hand out.

"Go on. He doesn't bite," Lulu's father said softly to her.

Lulu swallowed hard and extended her small hand closer to Mog's. However, just as she was about reach forward and touch it, her mother called out to them. Both Lulu and her father jump up a little from the startle.

"Are you ready?" Lulu's mother called out again.  

Lulu looked down at the floor and saw Mog lying there motionless. 

"Aw, he stopped moving…" Lulu sighed as she picked him up from the floor.

"Yes dear! I'm ready!" Lulu's father called back. He looked at Lulu's frown and then said, "Don't worry hun, I will teach you how to make him move."

Lulu's frown instantly turned into a wide smile, stretching all across her little face. "Really? Wow, then I can show it to Wakka and Chappu and show them something _I_ am better at!"

"That's the spirit," he said as he pinched her chin.

Lulu's mother came into the room adjusting a moonlily in her hair. "What do you think about the lily? Too much?" she asked.

Lulu instantly answered, "No, a woman can never have too much!"

Lulu's mother broke into a laugh, "You're absolutely right, sweetie. It's not too much." She smoothed a braid off her shoulder and then said, "Well then, I suppose I am ready." 

Lulu's father stood up from the chair and walked over to his wife, "You look amazing…" he whispered into her ear. He could smell the moonlily's scent wafting around her. He leaned in slowly and kissed her. 

Lulu covered her eyes quickly, but then removed a finger or two so she could see. She giggled softly. 

Her mother pushed away first and looked over at her. "Okay then missy, I think you have seen enough." She laughed a little bit. "I think we should get going."

Lulu's father nodded and then took out a movie sphere from his coat pocket. "Yes. But first, Lulu, go stand with your mother. I want to take a snap of my lovely ladies."

Lulu scrambled down from the chair and ran over to her mother. Her mother knelt down beside Lulu and kissed her gently on the cheek. 

"Smile, honey," she said softly in her ear. Lulu clung to Mog tightly as she looked into the sphere and smiled widely.

Her father lifted the sphere up in front of himself and said, "Okay, on three. One, two, three!" *SNAP* 

Lulu's wiped her eyes from the flash and looked up at her father. "Ready, Daddy?" 

          "Sure am, Lu." He replied.

          Lulu's mother slipped on a shawl, and together, they all left the house.

Lulu's parents walked her over to Wakka and Chappu's hut as the sun began to set. It cast bright orange rays over the village and water. 

"The water looks so calm tonight," Lulu's mother said as she glanced over at the coastline.

"Should make getting to the banquet a little easier," her father replied.

"I wish I could go on the ferry…" Lulu grumbled as she walked along.

"Lulu," her mother said sternly.

"I know, I know…" Lulu said with a smile. 

They continued walking down the main path in Besaid until they reached the temple entrance. Seated on the stairs were Wakka and Chappu. They were fighting over a blitzball.

"Stop hogging the ball, ya?!" Wakka yelled as he struggled to get a better grip on the ball. His face was red with frustration and exertion. 

"I never get to play with it!" Chappu screamed as he kicked Wakka in the shin.

"YOW!!!" Wakka yelped as he clutched his leg and began hopping around in place. "Ooh, you're gonna get it, brudda!!" Wakka yelled as he went to grab at Chappu.

"BOYS!!" a voice called out through the air. It came from the door of the temple and a second later Wakka's mother stamped out. Her face was nearly as red as her hair. "I can't believe ya two! Here ya are, in front of the temple, and ya gonna start fighting?" She grabbed both boys under one arm and then slowly said, "Ya both are to go inside and pray, ya hear me?!" 

She let go of both boys and they zoomed inside as fast as their little legs could take them. Their mother then turned toward Lulu and her parents and wiped some flustered hair out from her eyes. "I tell ya! Those two will be the death o' me, ya know?" She laughed a little at her own huffiness, then walked forward and looked down at Lulu. "Lulu, ya look lovely, ya know? Such beautiful things you have on!" 

"Thank you," Lulu said as she hugged Mog tightly. "They were gifts," Lulu added as she looked up at her parents and smiled.  

Lulu's mother took a step forward and knelt down in front of Lulu. "Lulu, why don't you go inside and settle in for the night? We all will be leaving soon. No reason for you to stay out here in the cold night air," her mother said as she wrapped Lulu's sweater around her tighter. 

"But Mommy, I want to see the ferry leave," Lulu protested. 

"Well…" her mother said as she glanced up at her father. 

"Oh, she's fine out here," he said as she smiled down at Lulu. "Right, baby?" 

"Right!" she exclaimed as she smiled gladly. 

"Alright," her mother said as she stood up. She turned towards Wakka and Chappu's mother and shrugged her shoulders. "Men," she huffed.

"Oh! I hear ya! My husband swears he knows how to raise those boys! I'm telling ya, if he could have them sleep in da water, he would!!"

Both women began to laugh as they continued talking about various things – especially their husbands. 

Lulu saw her chance to talk to her father, and took it. "Daddy, tell me! How did you make Mog move?" She asked as she held Mog up in front of her.

Lulu's father smiled and held out his hand for Lulu to take. She took his hand and followed him over to sit down on the temple steps. He sat her on his lap and then took Mog in his hand.

"You see Lulu, while knowledge is important to understanding and using magic, that isn't the only thing you need to use it," her father said seriously.

"What do you need then, Daddy?"

"To truly use magic to its potential you need to be connected to it. You need to feel the desperate need to use it, no matter what you are using it for."

"Even for making Mog move?"

He said at her, "Yes, even for making Mog move." He looked off into the setting sunset. "It's hard to explain it simply Lulu, but you need emotion."

"Emotion?" Lulu asked, confused.

"Yes, emotion. Fear, anger, jealousy, hope, anxiety, loneliness. Those are all emotions."

"What about love? Is love an emotion?"

Her father held her close and whispered into her ear, "Yes, especially love. Love is the strongest emotion you can ever experience. It is also the purest. Magic from pure love is the strongest magic and can never be broken."

"Daddy, I'm confused!" Lulu said with a tiny giggle. "By loving Mog I can make him move?"

"Well, technically, yes. But it is more complicated than that. You see, Lulu, emotion is like a light that flows from your heart. It's a chain reaction and you can use that power to affect things. You can channel the elements through your emotions just by imagining what you want the magic to do." He gave Mog back to Lulu. "It's extremely complicated, yet so simple at the same time."

Lulu looked even more confused than before. "Hmm, I think I will understand when I am older, MUCH older." 

Lulu's father's eyes widened and he fell into a long deep laugh. "You're something else, you know that, Lulu?" His eyes were all watery from the laughter.

"I am?" Lulu asked, a small look of fear on her face.

"That's right," he said as he wiped away a tear from his eye. "You're very special."

Lulu smiled at her father's grinning face and then kissed his cheek. "I love you, Daddy."

"What about me? You love me, too?" a little voice said from behind Lulu's father. 

Lulu peered her head out to the side to see who it was. It was Wakka, laughing up a storm over his joke.

Lulu's lips tightened in an angry grimace, and then she stuck her tongue out at him. "Never! I'll never love you, pudgy!"

Wakka's smile faded immediately. He covered up his little stomach with his hands and then yelled back at her, "Be quiet, or I'll use Mog as a blitzball!"

"No, you won't!"

"Ya, I will!" He stuck his tongue out and blew a raspberry at her.

Lulu's father stood up and stood between the two quarrelling children. "Now stop it, you two," he said over their voices. 

"Yeah, Wakka, leave Lulu alone!" Chappu yelled as he walked out from behind one the temple's pillars. He had his hands balled into fists at his waist.

Lulu looked over at Chappu, confused. 

A huge smiled crossed Wakka's face and he immediately turned towards Chappu.

"Oooh," Wakka said as he walked towards Chappu. "Looks like Lulu has a boyfriend!" Wakka started poking Chappu in the arms and laughing loudly. 

Chappu's face turned beet red as he tried to push Wakka away. "I don't like her! Yuck!" 

Lulu's father couldn't help but laugh at the boys, but soon their mother stomped over to where they were all standing. 

"Ya two!!" she said as loudly as she could without raising too much attention from those surrounding her. Her face was turning tomato red again.

Both boys cringed in anticipation for the onslaught of words they were about to receive; however, just as their mother opened her mother to continue a young man walked up from behind her. He was dressed in temple robes and had a pleasant and calming air about him.

The young man placed one hand on the boys' mother's shoulder. "Please, let me take the children," he said. 

"Aah, Brudda Zuke!" their mother said pleasantly, her face immediately returning to its natural color. "How nice to see ya!"

Lulu's mother and father bowed and saluted Brother Zuke in the hospitable Yevonian manner. 

Lulu's mother adjusted the moonlily in her hair and stepped forward. "Is it time to go, Brother?"

"Yes, madam. The boat is ready to depart from the docks, so I think you should all head over."

Chappu looked up at Brother Zuke and tugged on his robes.

The young monk looked down at him, "Yes, Chappu?"

"Where's my father?"

His mother answered for the monk, "Now, Chap, ya know ya father is getting the boats ready."

Chappu let go of Brother Zuke's robes and let out a disappointed, "Oh."

Lulu smiled at Chappu. "Don't worry. You will see him later."

Chappu looked up from the floor and returned Lulu her smile. 

Wakka's smile returned as he let out a low, "Oooooh…."

Both Lulu and Chappu shot him an angry look and his oohing ended. 

Lulu's father bent down and turned Lulu towards him, "Alright, Lu, we will see you later, okay?"

"Okay," she said as she hugged Mog. 

"You be a good little mage, you hear?" her father said as he kissed her forehead and stood up. 

Her mother bent over and hugged Lulu, whispering into ear as she did, "I love you, baby."

Lulu put her little arms around her mother's shoulders and kissed her cheek, "I love you too, Mommy."

Lulu's mother gave Lulu one last wink and then stood up. 

From behind Lulu, the boys were struggling in their mother's grasp as she hugged them. "Ya two be good, ya hear? Don't be giving the monks any trouble, ya?" 

The boys answered in unison, "Yes, Ma."

She let the boys go and turned to Brother Zuke. "Ya let me know if these two are too much trouble, a'right?" 

"Of course, madam, but I think they shall be no trouble at all," Brother Zuke answered with a smile.

Wakka looked up at his mother, "Tell Pop goodbye!"

"Yeah, tell him bye," Chappu seconded as they started running towards the temple entrance.

"Bye, boys!" Lulu's mother called out after them.

"Bye!" they yelled in return as they disappeared into the temple. 

Lulu turned to walk into the temple, but her father stopped her. "Remember Lulu, emotion is the key."

"I remember," she said proudly. "Love is the way to make him move."

"Make who move?" Lulu's mother asked. 

"I'll tell you later, dear. We should go," he said as he took her hand in his own. 

"Yea, let's get movin' or I will never hear the end of it from my husband," Wakka's mother said as she started out on the path toward the dock.

The three parents continued on the path down the village. They turned about halfway down the path and waved.

Lulu's father cupped his mouth and called out, "See you tomorrow, Lulu!!"

Lulu waved her arm furiously in the air. "Bye, Daddy!! Bye, Mommy!! See you tomorrow!"

The parents waved some more and then finally continued down the path until they were out of view. The sun was almost completely set and a few torches were already being lit around the village. Lulu sat with Brother Zuke outside the temple where they watched the other children play and sing the Hymn of the Fayth.

Lulu was getting a little sleepy when Brother Zuke tapped her on the arm.

"Lulu, I think you should go inside and get some rest."

Lulu wiped her dreary eyes, but protested, "No, Brother, I am fine." She let out a long yawn.

"Well, alright then." He looked out over at the sea. "Would you like to hear the tale of High Summoner Yunalesca and how she defeated Sin for the first time?" 

Lulu's eyes immediately brightened up. "Yes, of course!" She turned to face him, and placed Mog in her lap so he could "listen" as well. 

Brother Zuke cleared his throat and began. "Long, long ago in a faraway city called Zanarkand, lived a beautiful summoner named Yunalesca; however, she wasn't always known as a summoner - that name came much later in her life. For right now, she was known as Yunalesca and only Yunalesca. There was no such thing as Sin when she was a little girl, and all of Spira lived in blissful peace. When Yunelesca was a young girl at the temple she loved to learn about the legendary beasts knows as aeons because she knew that aeons were our gifts from Yevon, and they protect us in our—"

"Look!! The boat!!" a child called out suddenly, disrupting Brother Zuke's story.

Both he and Lulu stood up and looked over toward the ocean. Soon all the children around the temple were huddled on the shore, waving and calling out at the boat. A few adults had also come over to the shore to watch the boat, and the children.

Lulu made her way towards the shore, but didn't go out as far as the others. She could see well from her vantage point halfway up on the shore hill, and could make out the shiny boat on the orange-hued water. She hugged Mog close as a cold breeze blew against her, causing her belt and necklace to rattle against each other. 

Brother Zuke stood next to Lulu and reached inside his robes. He pulled out a pair of sphere binoculars and handed them to Lulu. She smiled at him and took them. He winked back at her and then proceeded to watch over the children splashing in the water.

Lulu put the binoculars up to her eyes and stared out into the water. She could barely make out the passengers on the boat, but eventually found her parents standing in the top observation deck with Wakka and Chappu's parents.

She could see the boat pick up more speed with the wind, its sail stretched out taut against the breeze, the waves crashing in unison with the bobbing of the boat. Lulu was mesmerized by the silver sparkling of the waves and the boat when all of a sudden a scream rang out in the air.

"SIN!!!!!"

Several people stared screaming and scrambling all over the beach as their worst nightmare began. Just behind the small boat was the plague known as Sin. It's horrendous body was covered with wind and waves. It looked like a gigantic, evil water-filled tornado. He had appeared out of nowhere.

Lulu placed the binoculars up to her eyes once again, and could see the passengers on the boat just as panicked as the people on the beach. Her parents were still standing on the observation deck with the boys' parents just behind them.

Her father had removed his staff from inside his robe and the crystal end was glowing bright with white light. Lulu could see all their mouths moving rapidly, yelling orders, yelling in fear. Her mother had her eyes closed and her hands clasped just above her head. Her mouth was moving quickly and her expression was that of deep concentration.

"Mommy…." Lulu said as she felt her breathing quicken, her eyes already teary. 

People all over the beach were crying and screaming out towards the boat. Lulu felt herself be thrown to the ground by a passerby, but her mind was set on her parents. 

Her father held up his wand at the approaching creature and shouted something at it. A bright flash appeared on Sin and a large swirling vortex of fire and acid began to spread on Sin in several spots. The flames danced and dug into Sin as they continued to grow. 

"Megaflare…" Lulu said with amazement and fear. She had heard other speak of her father's abilities, but never had she ever experienced them for herself. 

The fires continued to spread and deepen on Sin's tornado, but he continued approaching. The flares hadn't slowed him down one bit.

She turned her gaze back at her father, he was deep in spellcasting, his eyes closed in concentration. Lulu's mother was still in casting, as well.

She watched as Wakka and Chappu's father picked up several blitzballs in his arms and ran towards the end of the ship. Their mother ran after her husband with several more blitzballs in her arms. 

Lulu turned her gaze toward her parents just in time to see a small light begin to glow from her mother's clasped hands. A single ball of multicolored energy shot out from her hands and flew into her father's wand tip. Her father held up his wand and Lulu could see him yell something out at the quickly approaching tornado. Almost instantly a bright light began to shine all around the boat, much like a shell. At the same instant, a large green ball of energy began to spread out from the inside of Sin.

Lulu could feel herself being pulled to the ground by someone. She dropped the binoculars as she hit the floor, and could hear Brother Zuke yelling something.

"It's Ultima!! Do not look at the light!! Look away!!" Brother Zuke was saying. 

Lulu covered her eyes with one hand and then grabbed Mog to shield them even more. 

She could feel a great energy explode out in the sea and a rush of water hit the shore. She could hear the others around her begin to move, so she slowly uncovered her eyes. 

As soon as she opened her eyes she saw Chappu laying in front of her, still clutching his eyes with his little hands. He had pulled her onto the ground.

She reached forward and moved his hands away. He opened one eye, then the other and saw her looking at him. His eyes were wet with tears.

They lay there for a second, looking into each others' teary eyes when a loud crash sounded out in the ocean. They both remembered why they were there.

"Not even Ultima stopped it," Brother Zuke said in disbelief. 

Lulu looked back to see Sin throw itself up against the ship's invisible shell in a storm of water and clouds. There was a deafening crash as energy crackled back at Sin and his attack.

Lulu rolled onto her knees and picked up the binoculars. She zoomed in on her parents again and watched as her mother sent another ball of energy into her father's wand. Her father held his wand up toward Sin, but he was looking tired. 

Sin hurled itself up against the shell, but this time to attack broke through. The shell's energy did not hold up and it disintegrated in a shower of light and sound. A deadly shriek shot out from the shell as it finally disappeared completely. 

Lulu dropped the binoculars on the sandy grass as she covered her ears with her little hands. Tears began to stream down her cheeks, more from fear than pain.

Sin's watery tornado body began to shift and crack until he began to sink lower and lower into the water. Slowly the clouds surrounding his body began to separate and float upward into the sky, dispersing as they rose higher and creating little flashes of lightning higher up. 

Lulu bent down and picked up the binoculars from the ground again, quickly wiping sand off the lenses. She watched as the boys' parents were hurling blitzballs down on Sin as he continued to descend further and further into the water until at last he could not be seen anymore. 

With Sin's disappearance into the water, he seemed to take all the noise with him. The people on the beach seemed to calm a bit, and there was a dead silence all around them. The seashore was the only thing making any sound, gently lapping at the shore.  In any other instance this whole scene would have appeared peaceful, but Lulu still felt apprehensive. 

She could hear some people began to say that it was over, but she didn't think it was. She adjusted the zoom on the binoculars and focused in on her parents. Her father had placed his wand on the railing and he was holding Lulu's mother in his arms in a deep embrace. Her mother was crying.

"Mommy," Lulu said as she began to cry. Her soft cheeks were covered in tears and glistened in the flashes of thunder coming from the skies. 

Though her parents and she were extremely far apart, her father looked up from his crying wife and directly into Lulu's sight of vision. It was as if he knew exactly where she was. 

_"Lulu…"_

"Daddy?!" Lulu exclaimed as she heard her father's voice in her mind. 

_"I love you, baby…"_ It sounded as if her were whispering right into her ears. 

"What?! Daddy…"

_"We're not strong enough…"_

Lulu was watching her father through the binoculars, but his mouth was not moving as he spoke; however, the tip of his wand was glowing bright. He looked back at his wife and took the moonlily out from her hair. She looked up at him as he did. She said something to him and then took the flower in her hands and kissed its center. She looked directly into Lulu's sight of vision, just like her husband had done, and gave Lulu a teary wink. 

Lulu could feel her knees begin to weaken. She tried to hold herself up, but all of a sudden her weight was too much for her. She hit the ground with a soft thud, the grassy sand softening her fall.

Brother Zuke ran over to Lulu and quickly bent down next to her. "Lulu, what is it?!" he asked, trying to stand her up.

"It—it's Mommy!!" Lulu managed out through muddled cries and gasps for air. "Daddy…"

Brother Zuke had a confused look on his face. He looked out towards the sea and immediately stood up. "Oh dear Yevon…" he said as she put a hand to his chest.

Lulu wiped her tears and looked out towards the boat. The water surrounding the boat was illuminating a bright blue light and several areas of the water had begun to bubble and simmer. Lulu picked up the binoculars and tried to find her parents again. They were still standing in the same spot as before, as still as statues. 

          _"We will always be with you, Lu." _It was her mother's voice now, but her lips were not moving.

          Lulu's father looked up at her mother and kissed her on the lips. He took the moonlily from her hands and gently tossed it over the side of the balcony.

          Lulu expected the moonlily to continue falling, but it just floated in midair for a second. Suddenly, it began to rise and approach the beach. It continued to rise higher and fly towards her faster. Before she had realized it, the flower was directly over the shore. 

She watched it intently; oblivious to the boat's surrounding water and the panic its continuous bubbling and simmering began to cause. She removed the binoculars from her eyes and watched the flower approach her. She dropped the binoculars on the ground and reached out her tiny hands as the moonlily was hovering just in front of her tear-covered face.

          She left it gently fall into her cupped palms just as she looked back up at the boat. "Mommy…." Lulu said, as she sniffed the flower's sweet aroma. 

          Lulu inched her way closer to the edge of the hill. She could feel her heart begin to beat at an insane rate. It was trying to tell her something. 

          "Daddy..." Lulu heard a boy say. She turned to her right and saw Wakka kneeling down next to Brother Zuke. He was curled up into a ball, hugging a blitzball with all his might. 

          Her heart began to pound in her chest. It told her to look back at the boat. She looked up towards it and heard one last thing.

_          "We will always love you, baby…" _It was both her parents' voices.

          And with those words, Lulu's world forever changed. 

          With a horrible spray of water and power, a shot of energy rose up from under the boat and consumed the boat. The ship's brightly covered masts turned black in contrast to the light, the dazzling silver paint that covered the sides of the ship began to burn and decay, and the passengers that would never again be seen all disintegrated within Sin's wrath. It was as if there had never even been a boat. 

          "NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!" Lulu screamed as she began running down the slope. 

          "Lulu, no!" Chappu yelled as he tried to grab a hold of her arm, but she was too fast for him.

          She made her way onto the shore and pushed through the screaming mass of people huddled there. 

          With one last screech Sin sank deeper into the water and swam away into the sunset, leaving behind a smoking pile of floating rubble in the water. 

She splashed out into the water and then tripped on a rock. She hit a pointy rock in the water, but still managed to stand up. Her knee was all cut and bloody, but her anger pushed her on into the water. "Daddy! Mommy! Come back!!"

Lulu felt hands pulling her back towards the shore, but she wriggled out of their grasps. "I want to learn how to braid my own hair, Mommy!! Daddy, teach me how to make Mog dance!! I'm dedicated to you!! I'm dedicated!!" She yelled at the ocean, her little voice already hoarse from all the crying and screaming. 

Her knees went weak again and she hit the wet shore and stayed there. "Daddy… Mommy…. No….."

          Lulu punched and kicked at the sand, her cries and screams muddled and heartbreaking. She tried to stand up, but her knees her were in intense pain. All she could do was watch Sin swim away through the smoke in the water. 

           Lulu fell onto her side and crawled into a ball, holding the moonlily right up to her nose. She closed her eyes and with the most meaning she had ever meant the words, said, "Daddy, Mommy… I love you." 

          From high up on the slope Chappu watched Lulu from where he was standing, his eyes red and bloodshot also. He began to walk down the slope, but stopped for a second, something next to him had moved. He looked next to where he was standing and watched for a second. He could have sworn he saw something moving, but the only thing there was Mog, laying in the same state where Lulu had left him – alone… much like she now was. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  


**Lulu: "No matter how dark the night, morning always comes and our journey begins anew."  
**   
Author's note: Hey ya'll!! I hope you enjoyed this story, it took me a while to get it just right. I wanted to give my little two cents about where I thought Lulu got some of her jewelry and belts from. Did you notice that Lulu has one brown belt amidst all her black ones? Hmm, did ya?? Haha, if you didn't that's okay, because sometimes she does have more than one brown one. I guess coloring in all those belts can get tiresome for the artists. J Well, as always, I am planning on writing more and hopefully fleshing out more of everyone's favorite black mage's past according to how I imagine it. So, if you liked it, please REVIEW and let me know what you like (and maybe what you would like to see). Also, check out my other Lulu fic, "Lulu and Wakka's Wedding". Check it out!! Peace ya'll~!!

PS: Props go out to the Sailor Moon song "The Power of Love" for use of its lyrics: "Blazing emotion, there's a light that flows from your heart, it's a chain reaction and nothing will keep us apart…" I just love that song and wanted some way to incorporate it into Lulu's world. J

PPS: Please forgive the formatting!! Fanfiction and I used to get along in that department… but it seems we aren't jelling anymore. I made it look all pretty… and now it isn't!! ARGH!! I saved it as an .html, so I don't know what went wrong. If you know, please HELP!!  


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